Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the by-election for Kevin Rudd's seat will give voters a chance to send a message to the Abbott Government to "stop breaking promises".

The by-election for the inner-Brisbane seat of Griffith will be held on February 8.

Labor's endorsed candidate is employment lawyer Terri Butler, who will challenge Liberal National Party candidate Bill Glasson, a former Australian Medical Association president.

Mr Shorten attended a press conference with Ms Butler today and says although the poll is for a local seat, the issues involved affect all Australians.

"This is the first chance since the election for any Australians anywhere to be able to say to Tony Abbott: 'Stop breaking your promises, stop the secrecy, stop breaking your promises on education, don't mess with our health system'," he said.

"The issues in this by-election, whilst they affect every street and suburb, also go to what affects Australia and all Australians.

"Health care, education, the fact is they are not going to roll out the National Broadband Network to a part of the electorate which was previously promised."

Mr Shorten says the last thing Queensland needs is another representative like Premier Campbell Newman and Mr Abbott.

This is the first chance since the election for any Australians anywhere to be able to say to Tony Abbott: 'stop breaking your promises, stop the secrecy, stop breaking your promises on education, don't mess with our health system'.

Bill Shorten

"We have to make sure we have an advocate as a member of Parliament who won't be a rubber stamp for Campbell Newman or Tony Abbott," he said.

Mr Rudd held the seat for Labor during last year's election but saw his share of the vote fall by 5.5 per cent, while the LNP's vote increased by 6.4 per cent.

In the final count, Dr Glasson lost by just over 5,000 votes, while Mr Rudd had to rely on preferences to secure victory.

Precedent suggests Griffith will be held by Labor, as the last time a government gained a seat from an opposition at a by-election was in 1920 in Kalgoorlie.

However, given Dr Glasson's strong showing in the 2013 election, the LNP has high hopes that he can go one step further and win Griffith for the Government.

Both Labor and LNP candidates are long-standing residents of the Brisbane seat, which covers 60 square kilometres in the city's inner city immediately to the south of the Brisbane River.

Dr Glasson, who has lived in Griffith all his life, is an ophthalmologist whose father was a state MP and served as a minister in the Bjelke-Petersen government.